Proud Of Who We Are
by ennisjackgal
Summary: My entry for the June 2012 Pride Challenge on LJ. Set in the LIL universe in 2004, Ennis and Jack attend their first Pride together in Boston, creating new memories together and finding out what it means to be proud.


**Proud Of Who We Are**

**Sexuality**

Jack left the bathroom in time to see Ennis pulling his boots on. "Come on, cowboy. They'll get started without us if we don't get a move on." Ennis looked at him.

"I'm still kinda nervous 'bout this, Jack. I mean...we ain't never done this before. First Pride an' all..." He bit his lip. "You know I'm happy for us to be open an' all, like back in Amherst, but...this is different. There's others like us here..."

"I know," Jack replied, putting an arm around him. "But...it'll be alright. This is especially for people like us, so we don't have anything to worry about. Think about it...we've just finished our second year of college, got together, moved in together...we've got a lot to be proud of. And I know we could both do with some time to ourselves. Come on, it'll be fun."

Ennis nodded, and curled an arm around Jack's waist as they stood up. "You know...I've been real happy this past year, Jack. Gotta admit, I never woulda thought I'd fall for another guy, an' it wasn't always easy, but...it's worth it."

Jack smiled at him. "Yeah, it is." They leaned in and kissed, tongues pushing into each other's mouth and sliding together. His arms came up around Ennis's neck and pulled him closer, their hips pressing together. Jack felt Ennis growing hard against him and grinned into the kiss. "Oops, looks like I got you riled up. Want me to take care of it?" Without waiting for an answer, he dropped to his knees and deftly undid Ennis's fly. He wrapped his mouth around Ennis's swelling erection and went to work, doing what he loved best. Ennis thrust helplessly into Jack's mouth until he was over the edge, stuffing his fist into his mouth so as not to attract attention. Their hotel room was in the middle of the floor and he didn't want them being thrown out for making noise.

When they were done, Jack licked him clean and fastened his jeans up. He wiped his mouth and grabbed a deodorant and some breath mints. They masked the smell as well as they could and then headed out, eager to get to the celebrations. Outside the hotel, Jack outstretched his hand and looked at Ennis hopefully. To his relief, his cowboy took his hand and they laced their fingers together.

"So where is everythin'?" Ennis asked as they walked down the street, trying not to care about any stares they might attract. This weekend was for them and others like them; people who weren't ashamed of who they were and who they loved. He knew that Jack had wanted to come here, and he had to admit that he was curious about it, so he had agreed.

"On Main Street," Jack replied. "The parade should be about noon, I think. But there's always plenty going on all weekend. Should be fun, right?" Ennis nodded and they walked onwards, looking forward to being open about their love.

* * *

**Life**

The pair of them made their way to the centre of the city, looking around for signs of the celebrations. Boston was huge, but they managed to find their way thanks to the signs everywhere. When they approached the centre, they could hear loud music playing somewhere, so carried on in that direction. Jack pulled on Ennis's hand excitedly when he saw a flash of bright colour in the distance. "There it is, cowboy! You ready for this?" He wanted to shout from the rooftops how much he loved Ennis, but this would have to do. They had only been together for eight months, and had spent half of that keeping their relationship hidden from their fellow students. Jack never wanted them to have to deny who they were anymore.

They emerged on Main Street, the riot of colour and noise hitting them and making them stop in their tracks. Both of them looked around in wonder at it all; couples like themselves holding hands, parents of gay people showing their support in the PFLAG march, the Marriage Initiative. Jack overheard someone saying how the celebrations were even better this year, thanks to the change in the law. He and Ennis weren't ready to be getting married yet, but it was definitely on the cards for them; he knew that much.

"This is great," he said as they took their places to watch the parade. "So...full of life, you know?" He looked over at his lover and smiled; Ennis looked relaxed and in awe at everything. Jack knew that since Ennis had grown up in such a quiet environment, all of this was new to him, but he was adjusting commendably. He squeezed Ennis's hand and unabashedly kissed him on the cheek, feeling safe to do so. Ennis went a little red and released Jack's hand, putting his arm around his waist instead. Jack copied the movement and they stood there watching, thinking about their life together so far and everything they had to look forward to. After a couple of minutes, they turned to each other and their lips drew together like magnets. Both of them knew that this behaviour was not only acceptable today, but encouraged.

When they pulled apart, Ennis placed his hand on Jack's face, marvelling at how far they had come together in such a short space of time. His life hadn't amounted to much before they'd met, and he was now a changed person thanks to the young man before him.

"I love you, darlin'," he murmured, seeing Jack's eyes shining at him. Jack kissed his hand and then held it in both of his, looking up into Ennis's warm brown eyes. In the sunlight, he could make out the fleck of green in them that felt like a secret, precious part of Ennis.

"Love you too, cowboy." They kissed again and turned back to the parade, arms around each other and feeling more alive than they ever had. Life was sweet for them.

* * *

**Healing**

The pair of them watched the parade for a while, and then decided to walk around. They held hands as they walked, enjoying the sunshine and talking. Jack bought them some ice cream and kept teasing Ennis by scooping up some on his finger and sucking it into his mouth, blue eyes fixed on Ennis's and knowing that he was driving him crazy.

As they walked and looked around, they thought about their time together so far, and how much they had progressed since last October. Both of them knew what it had cost them to be here, and to be happy, so they didn't take it for granted. Ennis had lost his father's approval and love, such as it was, and while it hurt him, he was grateful that he had Jack to look after him when he needed it.

They grabbed some lunch in a diner like the one in Amherst, half-listening to the conversation around them. People were of the opinion that this celebration was the best ever, and that things were going to be much better for gay people from now on. Massachusetts was the first state to legalize same-sex marriage, so this year's Pride was a momentous occasion. They also overheard a pair of older gay men in the booth next to them.

"Been a long time, huh? Never thought I'd live to see 'em lettin' us get married."

"I know, Rich. Me neither," replied his companion. "When we got together, I never coulda thought that somethin' like this would happen. Still, it's really somethin'. I hope all these young 'uns know what people have sacrificed for days like these."

"I reckon they do, Earl. People like us have a better chance of stayin' together these days. They don't gotta deal with all the stuff we did; don't have to live a lie."

Jack smiled at Ennis as they listened, happy to hear from an older couple that had life experience behind them. They both knew about Stonewall and the sacrifices made so that they could be here, together.

"Guess we're the lucky ones, huh?" Ennis said in a low voice, and Jack nodded, sliding his hand over to grip his lover's.

"Yeah. We never had to live a lie and deny who we are, cowboy. It's always been just us..." He flicked his eyes over Ennis's face and smiled. "I'm glad we never had to go through the kind of thing they did when those guys were our age."

"Me neither, Jack," said Ennis, boldly kissing Jack's hand and gazing into his eyes. "Love you, darlin'."

"You too. Come on, let's finish this up and go do some more sightseeing, okay?" Ennis nodded and they returned to their meal, looking forward to seeing more of the celebrations. Jack wanted to share everything with Ennis today; to show him that they had nothing to be ashamed of for being who they were. Ennis meant everything to him and Jack wanted the world to see that.

* * *

**Sunlight**

The next day, the pair of them decided to spend some time outside the city, in the quieter areas. They had always loved spending time in the park back in Amherst, where it was just the two of them, and they wanted to find it here too. They found a small park and walked through, hoping for a secluded area. They sat down on a bench and leaned backwards, gazing up at the sky. Ennis's arm came around Jack and pulled him closer. Within moments, they were kissing softly, hands on each other's faces. Jack's free hand wandered to Ennis's thigh, rubbing a little, and he felt Ennis smile against his mouth.

"Jack...don't go gettin' me riled up. Ain't the place..." He pulled his mouth away. "You know I don't like turnin' you away, but..." Jack shook his head. He understood that it wasn't a good idea.

"Doesn't matter. I know it's not safe. Just...wanna kiss..." Their mouths met again and Ennis pulled Jack into his arms, running his hands up and down his back. Jack moaned softly into Ennis's mouth and sighed. Kissing Ennis had always been a great pleasure for him, ever since their first night together back in October. Ennis had been so shy and unsure of himself that Jack had just wanted to wrap him up and make everything okay. Looking back, Jack figured that he'd done a good job. Ennis was much more relaxed about their relationship now than he had been.

After a while, they pulled apart and looked up at the sky again, thinking of their families back home and how they were doing. Jack turned his head and once again saw the fleck of green in Ennis's deep brown eyes. He often saw it in sunlight and he loved it.

"You enjoying it out here, Ennis?" he asked softly, lacing their fingers together. He saw Ennis nod and smile at him.

"Sure am, Jack. Was a great idea for us to come out here. Gotta admit that I was real nervous about it at first, didn't know what to expect, but...I'm real glad we did it, darlin'. Wanna show how much I love you...dunno if I could go shoutin' it from the rooftops, but...I hope you know what you mean to me."

Jack nodded. "I do, cowboy." He then tilted his head. "I can see that fleck of green in your eyes, bud. I always love seeing that...wonder if anybody else has seen it?" Ennis shrugged.

"Dunno. But...you'd have to look real close, so...you might be the only one. Like...a little secret between us." He smiled again and leaned in close, kissing Jack firmly and making him slightly dizzy.

"Damn, cowboy," he breathed when they pulled apart, eyes a little hazy. "You always do that; knock me for six whenever we kiss. Don't know how you do that..." He swallowed and looked into Ennis's love-filled eyes.

Ennis smiled and cupped Jack's cheek. "Just wanna make you happy, Jack."

"You already do, baby."

* * *

**Nature**

After a while, they carried on walking through the park, holding hands and looking around. When they reached a lake, they decided to sit down on the grass and relax some more. In time, they leaned back and gazed up at the sky again, pointing out cloud formations in the deep blue. Jack moved closer to Ennis and was rewarded with an arm coming around him, squeezing him a little. He slid his own arm over Ennis's chest and closed his eyes.

Both of them dreamed of their time together so far and what might be on the horizon for them. Jack hoped that one day they would move out to Provincetown and maybe get married, but for now he was happy. They were together and in love, and that was all that mattered to him.

He awoke to Ennis tickling his nose with a blade of grass, smiling at him. Jack batted his hand away and cracked one eye open.

"Cut it out," he said, trying and failing to look pissed off. "What's got into you?"

"I was hopin' you, but…we can't do that here," Ennis replied in a voice full of regret. "Sure would like to, though. Just…lie here an' let things happen, out here in the wide open."

"You wanna do it by a lake, huh?" Jack asked, reaching for his hand. "Sounds fun, but you're right. We can't do it here. Still…we're having a good time, right?"

Ennis nodded and looked around before leaning in, kissing Jack softly on the lips and then pulling away. "You look real peaceful there, darlin'."

"Probably because I'm with you," Jack murmured, looking up at him. "You make me feel relaxed, you know?" He smiled. "You look happy too…" He pulled Ennis down to him again and they kissed more firmly, tongues sliding together between their warm mouths and hands in each other's hair. Ennis so badly wanted to sink down onto Jack and cover him with his body before removing all their clothes. He would have to get them out of here, and soon. The swelling in his crotch was proof enough.

Jack felt something pressing against his hip and pulled his lips away, smirking. "Aww, is that painful for you, cowboy? Want me to take care of it?" Ennis's eyes widened; surely Jack didn't mean to bring him off out here?

"What, here? You crazy?" he asked, looking around. Jack stood up and pulled Ennis up with him, shaking his head.

"Nope, not crazy. Come here…" He pulled Ennis into a cluster of trees, hidden from prying eyes and stares. When they were alone, Jack quickly undid Ennis's buckle and pulled his jeans down, smiling at his lover innocently. He sank to his knees and went to work on Ennis's erection, making him moan and buck into his mouth.

When they were finally done, they emerged from the trees looking dishevelled, and Jack smiled at Ennis again.

"You know…I'm really starting to love nature," he said, eyes sparkling.

* * *

**Magic/Art**

The pair of them wandered back to town after lunch, looking for something to entertain them. Jack saw a purple tent near the stalls and saw the sign of a tarot card reader. Jack believed in fate, that he and Ennis were meant to have ended up together, so he thought it might be interesting to have their fortunes told. He tugged at Ennis's hand. "Come on, let's go check that out. Might be fun." Ennis nodded, not entirely sure of what might be in store for them.

They entered the tent to see someone sitting at a round wooden table, holding a deck of cards. They were wearing a veil, and Jack suspected that it might be someone in drag; given what was going on around town, it wouldn't have surprised him. Things were certainly different out here.

"Sit down, young men, and see what the cards have in store for you," they gestured. "I am Mysterious Marilyn, and welcome to my abode." They looked at each other and shrugged, sitting down opposite her.

"Do we have to pay for this?" Jack asked, hand going for his wallet. But she shook her head.

"No, children. You cannot put a price on fate. Now then..." She held out the deck of cards across the table to them. "Each of you take one, and I will tell you what they mean." Jack went first, wondering what he would draw out. His face brightened when he saw that he had selected The Lovers.

"Hey, look at that. Seems like fate does exist, huh?" he smiled at Ennis. Marilyn nodded.

"When you stepped in, I took one look at your joined hands and knew that there was something very special between you. This card is an indication of many things, but primarily of love and a connection. It's a positive card." She smiled. "Congratulations." Jack put the card back and Ennis withdrew one.

"The Star..." he read aloud. "What does this mean?" Jack looked over, but he wasn't too sure what this one meant. His had been fairly obvious.

"Hope for the future," Marilyn replied. "You will have many happy times ahead of you, despite any hardships that come your way. No matter what happens, you will get through it." Ennis put the card back and took Jack's hand again, lacing their fingers together.

"Thanks," he replied. "That was...different. We ready to go, Jack?" He nodded and they left, thanking her one last time. Outside the tent, they turned to each other and Ennis cupped Jack's cheek. "Darlin'..." The prospect of them having a future and a good life together was one that warmed his heart.

Jack smiled. "That was good. Looks like we're gonna have some good times ahead of us, right? This is just the beginning." They leaned in close and kissed, not caring who might see them. This was one weekend in which they could be themselves and not hide who they were or what they meant to each other.

* * *

**Serenity/Harmony**

That evening, the pair of them decided to walk around some more, enjoying the gentle breeze around them. Main Street was still crowded with people celebrating, so they ventured a few streets away and walked down a side road. They came upon a small café and decided to get something to eat.

In the booth, Jack linked their hands across the table and smiled lovingly at Ennis, his eyes shining with his feelings. Ennis smiled back and squeezed Jack's fingers. "You doin' okay, bud?"

Jack nodded. "Yep, sure am. I'm really glad we decided to do this, Ennis. It's been great for both of us; to see others like us and to not be ashamed of who we are. I've really enjoyed this." His foot stretched out and sought Ennis's, locking around his ankle. A waitress came to take their order, noting how happy and in love they looked. She'd seen a lot of same-sex couples over the weekend, and she liked how open they could be here.

When their food arrived, they disentangled themselves and started eating, occasionally looking into each other's eyes and smiling before carrying on. They ended up feeding each other small bites, giggling like kids. They left a large tip and carried on down the road, looking into shop windows and thinking about buying a present for each other before they left for home.

_Home, _Jack thought to himself. _That little apartment off campus is our own place. Both our names on the lease, our stuff inside. It's really ours, and we're having a proper life together. I kind of miss our room in the building, but this is better for us. Really feels like we're a proper couple out in the world. I love him so much, and I can't believe what he's given me. If he hadn't had the courage to come back that night, and to come over to my bed, I don't know where we'd be. He might have moved out, and I would've been alone again. Don't need to think about that now. We got together and we've had a real good time so far. That's what matters._

He looked over at Ennis, who was looking into a window, and dragged his thoughts to the present. "See anything you like, cowboy?"

Ennis looked at him, eyes flicking up and down. "I'll say." Jack grinned.

"You want me, then?" he asked, leaning in close, and Ennis nodded.

"Sure do..." He saw Jack lick his lips. "Umm..."

Jack's grin widened. "What?" Ennis just shook his head and turned back to the window, adjusting himself a little. When he felt a warm hand cup the front of his jeans he had to bite back a moan.

"Jack...don't do that. We're far from the hotel..."

At this, Jack just shrugged. "Hell, there's loads of back alleys, plenty of dark places..." Ennis shook his head again.

"Fuck that, we're goin' back." He started to practically drag Jack back down the street, heading for the hotel.

* * *

**Spirit**

They made it back to the hotel room in record time and were soon all over each other, kissing and pawing at each other's jeans. Jack pulled his mouth away as he undid Ennis's belt, mouth open and breathing heavily. Ennis had seen Jack in a state of arousal many times, and he was always humbled by the fact that it was him Jack wanted. It made him feel like he was worth something and that he meant something to Jack. He shook his head a little and focused on what Jack was doing; he was slipping a hand into Ennis's jeans and rubbing at him.

"Mmm, look at that big boner," he murmured, looking deep into Ennis's eyes. "What should we do with it?"

"I reckon you can do whatever you want with it, bud..." Ennis replied, now undoing Jack's jeans.

"Huh..." Jack breathed, mouth near Ennis's ear. "So...what if I wanted you to fuck me with it?" Ennis shuddered with pleasure.

"You got it." Within moments they were on the bed, kicking their jeans off and removing their other clothes in an effort to get as close as possible. They crawled up to the head and Jack lay back against the pillows, gazing up at Ennis with a trusting look.

"Come on, cowboy...haven't got all night." Ennis nodded and reached for the lube, smearing it over himself and lifting Jack's legs over his shoulders. With a few nudges, he pushed in slowly and Jack sighed. "Oh..."

"Feel okay?" Ennis murmured as he started to move inside him, pushing deep and seeing Jack close his eyes in pleasure.

"Sure does..." He pulled Ennis as close as he could to kiss him, not caring that he was bent almost in half. Their tongues slid together as they rocked against each other, breathing heavily and desperately trying to get to that place where it was just the two of them.

Ennis brushed against Jack's prostate and he moaned. "Oh God!" With a few more deep thrusts, he was bucking on the bed and shooting in between them, groaning loudly. Ennis followed suit, spilling into Jack and then collapsing on top of him. As they tried to get their breath back, Jack weaved his arms around Ennis. "That was real good, cowboy..."

"Mmm, sure was. Best idea you ever had, for us to come out here...love you, Jack." He pressed a kiss to his neck.

"I love you too," Jack murmured in his ear. "So much, and...I'm proud of us. Doing what we have, managing to beat the odds. We've come a long way, and I hope that Marilyn was right...that we're gonna have a long life together."

"I reckon we will," Ennis said in a low, drowsy voice. "Can't picture us without each other...one an' the same, ain't we?"

"Yep, that's us." Neither of them could talk anymore, so they just lay there, breathing together and relaxing. There was no need for words; they both knew what the other was thinking.


End file.
